Communities across the south of England gathered at Care South’s care homes to share experiences and raise awareness during Dementia Action Week.

Communities across the south of England gathered at Care South’s care homes to share experiences and raise awareness during Dementia Action Week.

Karen Hodges, Group Dementia Lead for Care South, hosted two dementia care information sessions at Alexandra House in Parkstone and Marjorie House in Lilliput for individuals and relatives of loved ones living with dementia. Visitors from the local community and relatives of residents got the chance to chat about their shared experiences and challenges they may face as their loved one progresses along their dementia journey.

In addition, all Care South homes hosted their own afternoon tea parties to enable residents and relatives along with local visitors to get together to raise awareness of dementia. The events were held in honour of Alzheimer’s Society’s national awareness campaign, Dementia Action Week, which takes place annually in May.

Alzheimer’s Society reports that someone in the UK develops dementia every three minutes and that one in three people born in the UK today will go on to develop dementia in their lifetime.

Karen Hodges, Group Dementia Lead at Care South, said: “Dementia Action Week is an important opportunity to open up conversations around dementia and help people feel less alone in the journey they may be facing. It was a privilege to bring residents, relatives and members of the local community together to share experiences and talk about the importance of supporting people living with dementia. At Care South, we are committed to providing compassionate, person-centred care that supports and respects each individual resident’s needs.”

Care South runs many dementia care initiatives including its own Namaste care initiative, which promotes a holistic, person-centered approach to caring for people living with advanced dementia. Namaste sessions take place in a calm, relaxed environment in the care homes with low lighting and sensory activities including music, movement and aromatherapy, day or night, depending on the individual resident’s needs in the present moment.

Teams across all Care South homes also focus on another initiative, Dining for Dementia, which involves every member of the care, catering and activities teams at each home coming together to ensure that every resident has a positive experience when eating and drinking.

Care South has dementia champions across all of its homes and staff from each home also undertake a unique training experience known as the Virtual Dementia Tour, which is the only scientifically and medically proven method of giving a person with a healthy brain the experience of what it is like to live with dementia.

Care South recently received the Hennell Award for Innovation and Excellence in Dementia Care from the University of Worcester’s Association for Dementia Studies, recognising its in-house Dementia Care Coach training programme led by Karen. Staff across all homes and care at home offices have completed the training, with Dementia Care Coaches supporting colleagues, residents and clients to enhance dementia care and wellbeing.